Pilot actuated valve



United States [56] References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 2,638,1085/1953 Williams etal l37/625.26X 2,896,665 7/1959 Lieser 137/59612,898,936 8/1959 Collins 137/625.63 2,918,906 12/1959 Becker 137/5963,171,438 3/1965 Helsing.... 137/625.26 3,249,123 5/1966 Berg l37/625.26

Primary Examiner- Henry T. Klinksiek Att0rney-Cullen, Sloman and CantorABSTRACT: A valve comprises a deformable ball acting as a spool valve ina control chamber to alternately connect a distributor passage to eitherexhaust or line pressure, while precluding the possibility of a directtemporary connection between supply and exhaust. The ball also acts as apoppet valve while deforming into and against the supply inlet port. Theposition of the ball is controlled by a piston which is acted upon byline pressure from a second distribution passage.

Patented Aug. 4, 1970 7 M w/ 1. l lm nnul l hl t a iii}. 4 a 1 w 4 H L\FIGZ INVENTOR JEROME B. KOMENDERA 3&2, fa, w

ATTORN EYS US. PATENT 3,522,821 PILOT ACTUATED VALVE BRIEF DESCRIPTIONOF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an elevational view, mostly in section of thevalve in its normal or first condition.

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1, but showing the valve in its secondcondition following actuation of the solenoid.

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view taken in the direction of arrows 3-3 ofFIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of the control circuit for the valve ofthis invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to FIG. I of thedrawings, the invention generally comprises a valve body to which isconnected a solenoid housing 12 (only a portion of which is shown).Valve body 10 has a longitudinal bore 14 including a central controlchamber 16. Three flow passages lead into control chamber 16: A firstdistribution port 18 leads to first distribution passage 20; a firstexhaust port 22 leads to first exhaust passage 24; and inlet port 26interconnects control chamber 16 with the upper segment of longitudinalbore 14, leading to valve supply passage 28. As can be seen from FIGS. 1and 3, port 18 exits out of the paper in FIG. 1, while port 22 exitsinto the paper in FIG. 1.

The upper segment of longitudinal bore 14 also communicates with aseconddistribution passage 30 via channel 32, which is selectively andalternatively exposed to either positive pressure or exhaust by theaction ofthe solenoid assembly 12. The plunger 34 of solenoid 12controls passage 36 of seat 38, whereby spring 40 normally maintainsplunger 34 in the position of FIG. 1 to block passage 36 and toestablish communication between channel 32 and a second exhaust passage42 in solenoid housing 12 via plunger bore 44.

Actuation of the solenoid causes the plunger 34 to assume the positionof FIG. 2, whereby passage 36 is unblocked, and plunger O-ring 46 entersand seals plunger bore 44 to block exhaust passage 42.

Second distribution passage 30 also communicates with the lower segmentof longitudinal bore14 by means of control passage 48. This lowerportion of bore 14 has a piston 50 provided with a sealing O-ring 52mounted for vertical movement. Piston 50 functions to control theposition of ball 54 in control chamber 16.-

Ball 54 is fabricated of a resilient deformable material such as Buna-Nor Viton, and is so dimensioned relative to the diameter of controlchamber 16 to block and seal from each other the portions of the chamberlying on opposite sides of the ball. The ball may in fact be slightlyoversize, so that some deformation is necessary for it to fit withinchamber 16. This deformation, coupled with further flattening whichoccurs under fluid pressure, assures the desired sealing action. Theball become ellipsoidal under such pressure, and seals along its majoraxis. Piston50 acts as a stop for the ball, thus increasing suchflattening effect.

, From FIGS. l and 3 it is apparent-that the lower positions of piston50 and ball 54 blocks flow between port 18 and 22, while permitting flowbetween ports 18 and 26. In the upper position of piston 50 and ball 54,shown in FIG. 2, flow between ports 18 and 26 is blocked, while flow isestablished between ports 18 and 22.

FIG. 4 merely illustrates the valve body 10 and solenoid unit 12 withthe associated'controls for the solenoid comprising a 7 battery 56 orother source ofelectrical energy 12 and a switch 58.

OPERATION The unique valve of this invention may be used to control theflow of pneumatic or hydraulic medium to the two ends of a double-actingcylinder or to two single acting cylinders. For operative illustration,it will be assumed that first distribution passage 20 is to be anormally open or pressurized line while second distribution passage 30is to be normally exhausted.

LII

As explained above, in the normal condition of the valve and solenoid,illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3, passage 20 is pressurized via supplypassage 28, inlet port 26, control chamber 16, and port 18. Ball 54blocks flow between passage 20 and first exhaust passage 24.Simultaneously, second distribution passage 30 is exhausted via channel32, plunger bore 44 and second exhaust passage 42, with plunger 34blocking flow to passage 30 from supply passage 28. Similarly the lowerportion of bore 14 is exhausted via control passage 48, channel 32, bore44 and second exhaust passage 42, to place piston 50 and ball 54 intheir lower positions under the influence of pressure from supplypassage 28 acting on the top of ball 54.

When switch S8 actuates the solenoid, plunger 34 is driven upwardlyagainst the bias of spring 40, opening passage 36 and blocking flowthrough plunger bore 44 to second exhaust passage 42. Pressure fromsupply passage 28 now flows via passage 36 and channel 32 to seconddistribution passage 30 and to the lower portion of longitudinal bore 14via control passage 48. This drives piston 50 and ball 54 upwardly tothe position of FIG. 2, forcing and deforming ball 54 against andpartially into inlet port 26 to block flow from supply passage 28 tofirst distribution passage 20. Upward movement of ball 54 alsoestablishes flow from first distribution passage 20 to first exhaustpassage 24 via control chamber 16. Interruption of current to solenoidwill re-establish the condition of FIGS. 1 and 3 under the action ofspring 40.

Thus, the unique valve of this invention includes a deformable ballwhich acts as a closed-center spool valve to prevent blow-by between theinlet port 26, first distribution port 18, and first exhaust port 22.The elimination of blowby improves the efficiency and positiveness ofoperation, since loss of line pressure resulting from leakage betweenthe supply line and exhaust often causes the fluid-operated cylinder tohang-up rather than move positively between positions. In the presentvalve, the supply and exhaust lines are never interconnected through thecontrol chamber. Ball 54 also acts as a poppet valve with respect toinlet port 26, and its deformation in the condition of FIG. 2 assures acomplete seal at that port when desired. The ability of ball 54 todeform has other advantages. First, it absorbs misalignments and makesdimensional tolerances less critical, thus reducing the cost ofmachining. Secondly, the resilience and deformability acts to absorbshock which would otherwise occur as the valve bottomed in itsrespective positions. This property also makes the valve virtuallyindestructible. Its light weight cuts the inertia of the mechanism.

While the ball has been described as fabricated entirely of a readilydeformable material, it is to be understood that it could also befabricated of a metal core coated with rubber or urethane or othersuitable deformable surface.

This invention may be further developed within the scope of thefollowing claims. Accordingly, the above specification is to beinterpreted as illustrative of only a single operative embodiment ofthis invention, rather than in a strictly limited sense.

I claim:

1. A valve for controlling and distributing the flow of a pneumatic orhydraulic medium comprising:

a body containing a longitudinal bore having a supply passagecommunicating therewith and a generally cylindrical control chamberportion intermediate the ends of said bore;

said body further containing a first distribution passage and a firstexhaust passage each communicating with said control chamber throughrespective longitudinally spaced ports in the side walls of said controlchamber;

said supply passage communicating with said control chamber through aninlet port located in one end of said control chamber andinterconnecting said control chamber with said longitudinal bore;

said body further containing a second distribution passage and a secondexhaust passage, said second distribution passage selectivelycommunicating with first controls means operatively connected to saidbody,

and in a first condition establishing communication with said seconddistribution passage;

whereby said piston will permit said ball to assume its first positionwhen said second distribution passage is connected to said secondexhaust passage, and said piston between said second distributionpassage and said 5 will cause said ball to assume its second positionwhen second exhaust passage and blocking communication said seconddistribution passage is connected to said between said seconddistribution passage and said supply passage. supply passage, and in asecond condition establishing 4. A valve comprising; communicationbetween said supply passage and said a body containing a longitudinalbore having a first second distribution passage byasaid longitudinalbore; passage communicating therewith and a generally second controlmeans operatively connected to said body cylindrical control chamberportion intermediate the comprising a resilient deformable ball slidablymounted ends of said bore; for reciprocal movement within said controlchamber, said body further containing second and third passages thediameter of said ball being so dimensioned relative each communicatingwith said control chamber to the bore of the said control chamber as tocontinuthrough respective first and second longitudinally ously blockany flow of the controlled medium past said spaced ports in the sidewalls of said control chamber; ball between opposite ends of saidcontrol chamber as said first passage communicating with said controlseparated by said ball; chamber through an inlet port located in one endof said second control means further comprising actuating said controlchamber interconnecting said control means for selectively andalternatively causing said ball Chamber and longitudinal bore; to movebetween a first position between said longituc ntrol means operativelyconnected to said body comdinally spaced ports of said firstdistribution passage prising a resilient deformable ball slidablymounted for and said first exhaust passage to blo k omm ni tionreciprocal movement within said control chamber, the therebetween whilepermitting communication diameter of said ball being so dimensionedrelative to between said f rst di tribution a age and id supply the boreof said control chamber as to continuously passage via said inlet port,and a second o ition block any flow of the controlled medium past saidball wherein said ball is deformed against said inlet port end betweenopposite n f i Control Chamber as of said control chamber to block saidinlet port while separated y Said ball; permitting communication betweensaid first distribu- Said mm m n f r h r mprising actuating means tionpassage a d aid exhau t a age via id o t l for selectively andalternatively causing said ball to chamber. move between a firstposition between said first and 2. The valve of Claim 1 wherein thenormal condition of Second longitudinally spaced p r to blOCkCommunisaid valve is in the said first condition of each of said firstand Cfllion thfirfibetween hil permitting mmuni li n second controlmeans between said first passage and said second passage via 3. Thevalve ofClaim 1 wherein the second end of said lonsaid inlet a a e qPosition said ball gitudinal bore adjoining and communicating with saidcontrol deformed agamst mlet P0rt f of control chamber has a pistonreciprocally mounted therein, one end m to block Smd POrt whle perm'ttmgof said piston adapted to abut said ball and the opposite end of gSecond Passage and Sam th'rd said piston being exposed to a controlpassage in said housing Passage Control Chamber and interconnecting saidsecond end of said longitudinal bore 40

